Communicating Authentically

I’ve been reading The Modern Witchcraft Spellbook by Skye Alexander – mostly because my daughter Jacqueline lent it to me – and it’s given me some helpful ideas. (For more cool book recommendations, check out Jacqueline’s blog, History Will Say This Was Just a Book Blog.)

One section is called “Working with Spirit Animals,” and describes animal totems, or primary animal guides. Ms. Alexander describes this as “an animal, bird, reptile, fish or insect with which you feel a strong and perhaps inexplicable affinity.”

My first thought is of a cat. I’ve always loved cats and have always had cats in my home. The cover of this blog features a cat.

My second thought is of a fox. I’m not sure why I thought of a fox. I definitely think of myself as a cat person, although not necessarily as a “cat lady,” which elicits visions of an old woman in a dingy robe and knee-highs drooping around her ankles, living in a house teeming with cats and reeking of cat pee and tuna. No.

I’m a lover of feline agility, their sinuate grace, the softness of their fur, the symmetry of their faces, and the unabashed silliness of their play. I love that they don’t need humans but deign to be adored by them. I love both kittens and adult cats alike. I never want to live in a house that doesn’t have a cat.

I think of my lovely little black cat Luna as my familiar – I mean, she’s always in the room when I do my spells and Tarot readings.

However, Skye did say that one’s familiar wasn’t necessarily that same as one’s spirit animal. And she also said, “inexplicable affinity.” Maybe I thought of fox for a reason.

So, I consulted the mighty oracle, Google, to see what it might have to tell me, and it gave me a full page of links to “spirit animal quizzes.” I took them all, and here’s what they told me.

My spirit animal is a(n):

• Hawk
• Seahorse
• Bear
• Panda
• Elephant
• Turtle
• Dog
• Whale
• Wolf
• Eagle
• Spider … and this is where I gave up.

None of the quizzes gave me the same answer. None of them mentioned cats or foxes.

The lesson here is to never trust the internet in matters of the spirit. Trust yourself.

My spirit animal is a cat. And sometimes that cat might ask its friend Fox to join the party.

Did you enjoy this post? Please like, comment or share below. And check out other posts on my blog, “The Good Witch of the North Country.”